Claustrophobia
by Satansbratn
Summary: A routine mission proves to be more difficult than expected. One of the X-Men is onfronted with an old fear. And it has serve consequences for two of them.


Title: Claustrophobia

Author: Satansbratn

Disclaimer: I don't own X-Men and don't try to make money with this story.

Setting: X-Men: Evolution

Rating: T

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_**Claustrophobia**_

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_I pretend I can always leave_

_Free to go whenever I please_

_But then the sound of my desperate calls_

_Echo off these dungeon walls_

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_[Tina Arena - Chains]_

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Breath. In and out. In and out. Again and again. Remain calm.

Ororo repeated those words – principles Charles had taught her during their sessions, years ago – in her mind over and over as she starred like frozen at the pitch black hole in front of her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Scott refastening the radio on his belt after he had informed Hank about their location. As she saw him coming her direction a wave of panic rushed over Ororo. Soon he would give orders to descent.

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„Are you ready?" She heard Scotts voice. Vaguely she could make out Jean who confirmed his orders. All her senses felt like wrapped in cotton wool. For a moment she closed her eyes, takeing a deep breath.

Maybe she should have accepted Logans offer to take over for her on this mission. But no, her own damn pride had forbidden her to show any form of weakness in front of the children. She was just glad that Hank was with them. Aside from Charles he was the only one at this mission who knew about her serve claustrophobia. And even if he couldn't come with them into the tunnels, she would at least have some support in dealing with these endless tunnel sections. Suddenly, Ororo was more than glad for the separate, secure line of their two coms. Hank had shown her on the plane.

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„I'm coming with you."

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Surprised, Scott turned around and looked at Beast. The scientist had changed his trademark white lab coat for his X-Men uniform and stood before the boy, a determined look at his tiger-like face.

For a moment the young leader just looked at his teacher before nodding slowly. „Alright." It was a unnecessary comment, Hank hadn't asked a question. It was a statement. But it seemed Scott needed to feel that he had things under control. Even, concerning the team.

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For a moment Hank surveyed the young man in front of him. Scott was a good leader but he wouldn't be able to help Ororo once they entered the sewer. His assignment was far to important. Besides, Ororo would more likely bit her own tongue of than talking with the children about her weaknesses.

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„Here we go. Get ready!"

Scotts voice had changed and had taken on a sharper edge. He was in full leader modus now. There was no going back. She was on her own now. Ororo swallowed nervously and activated her com. at the secure frequency.

„Hank?"

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She needed to hear his voice; to have someone tell her that everything would be okay, that she would be okay.

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No answer. The com. remained silent. But suddenly there was a voice from behind her.

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„I'm here, my dear."

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Startled, Ororo turned around and saw a uniform-glad Hank McCoy walking towards her. He smiled at her. „That makes communication easier, don't you think?"

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She just starred at him momentarily, but then a relieved smile found it's way on her face. „Not just communication, my friend." Her words were accompanied by a distinctive look at the sewers entrance. She had stepped a few feet away from it as if she couldn't handle being that close to the dark hole. Hank knew that probably was the truth. He clearly remembered the times when she had had a nightmare and he or Logan would go looking for her after she had woken them up with the storms that came up whenever she had a nightmare. Usually they would find her in the gardens or in her greenhouse. She always said that her plants helped her calming down.

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Slowly Hank approached her and laid a paw-like hand on her shoulder. „You can handle it. I'm with you, the entire time. And I'm sure Charles got us on radar as well?" That last sentence was more a question, directed at the man who he knew to keep a wary eye on them.

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_I'm in touch with you. You'll be perfectly safe Ororo._

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The telepathic answer was only directed at the two adults and Ororo could feel the calming presence of her mentor and friend in her mind.

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„I hope you're right." She muttered and looked at Scott who now came over with a questioning look on his face.

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„Beast, Storm. Are you ready?"

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Hank looked back at Ororo whose lips were set in a thin line, and nodded. „Ready, whenever you are, Cyclops."

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Scott nodded and stepped to the sewer entrance. „I'll be going in first, then follow Beast and Storm. Jean will cover our backs."

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As soon as she made a step into the shaft that would bring them down to the sewers, Ororo could feel the darkness reach for her. A moment she remained still on the small ladder and tried to calm herself and shake all thoughts about the darkness and the confined tunnels off. She could feel Hanks gaze on her and even Jean looked curious.

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„Storm? Everything alright?"

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The Windrider could only muster a weak nod and closed her eyes as she continued to descent the ladder. She didn't wanted to see where she was going. She just wanted it to be over soon.

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As Ororo had reached the end of the ladder and stepped aside to give Jean room she could feel Hanks worried gaze at her. The scientist surveyed her as if he wanted to find out how long she could handle this. They both knew that it wouldn't be very long.

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„I'm okay, Hank. Really." Ororo didn't even tried to sound convincing. They both knew she was lying. It was just a hopeless attempt to convince herself of non-existent willpower.

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She cast a quick look to Scott to confirm herself that the young man hadn't noticed her short struggle. But the young mutant was more focused on his next move than to notice her odd behavior.

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But not only Ororo observed Scott. Hank had a feeling that the boy would get an earful from Charles because of this recklessness sooner or later. Their leader was still to carefree and confided in his teachers far too much to really _lead_ them.,,

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They had been wandering the tunnels for not longer than a few minutes, but to Ororo it already felt like an eternity. She had dropped back a few feet and tried to concentrate on her own steps. Her claustrophobia was kicking in and she needed to hold it at bay. But each step just lead her further into the maze, and into darkness. Also, the flashlights they had brought didn't exactly provide a reliable light source.

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„You know, you should really go back."

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At the sound of the voice Ororo loked up, a surprised look on her face. Hank stood right in front of her and looked at her with worry.

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Ororo automaticly shook her head. „No. I won't let them think I'm _weak_!"

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She virtually spat the last word and Hank sighed. He had expected something like this. „Ororo. You aren't showing weakness. You know as well as I do that you aren't going to take this any longer. What if there's a fight? Look at you! You're hardly able to stand let alone fight!"

With every word his voice grew louder and he had trouble letting it not grow _too_ loud. With an angry snort he took a step toward the woman who backed away quickly. But she held his gaze, her chin jutted proudly. The tension between them was clearly noticeable and the air seemed to crackle with electricity.

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„Beast! I think you should take a look at this!"

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Jeans voice broke the tension between them like a thunderbold. Hank flinched, then turned away hastily. But still Ororo had seen the animalistic look on his face . For a moment that surprised her. She knew Hank as a patiently, lovingly person. She had seldom seen him that angry - and if she had his anger had never been directed at her.

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Hank shot a worried glance over his shoulder, but turned his attention immediately back to the red-headed telepath. Jean had found traces indicating that someone actually lived in the tunnels, a group of mutants to be more precise. The professor had indeed presumped that the tunnels were inhabited for some time now. But so far they hadn't been able to confirm that assumption. Until today.

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Uneasily Ororo let her eyes slide through the darkness, looking for something she could hold on to. But there was nothing. Only more darkness. Just more fear.

She knew that Hank was right. She wouldn't be able to take this much longer. And the risk of losing control over her powers grew with each step she took into the black depths of the tunnel And Ororo knew that if that would happen there would be victims.  
Restless, she started to count her own steps. It was an old habit from her days with a street gang in Cairo. If you were a thief, it was advantageous to know your exacte escape route.

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„What is wrong with her, Beast?"  
Surprised Hank lifted his head and looked inquiringly at the young man right beside him. „I don't know what you 're talking about Scott." Of course he knew exactly what their leader meant. But he had promised Ororo - just like Logan and Charles had - that he wouldn't tell the children anything if she didn't wanted him to. And Ororo still strongly opposed to anyone learning about her claustrophobia. The exact reasons for this, however, Ororo knew only herselve, even if they all had their own suspicions.

„Ororo. She's behaveing strange."

„What? Oh nonsense, it's just ..." Hanks hasty explanation was interrupted when they heard a scream from the corridor behind them.

One moment the two men remained frozen in place, then Hank started to run in the direction of the scream, all the while cursing quietly.

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„Ororo!"

She didn't understand the words and did only hear the voice like through thick fog. The voice sounded familiar and yet so strange. She opened her eyes as far as possible, but everything around her was dark. Her hands glided over the wall behind her, but once again her fingers could only feel sharp stones.

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Something touched her on the shoulder and she wanted to kick out, chase the figure away. But she didn't move. It was too tight to move.  
She could feel her own rapid heartbeat, heard her hurried breathing. Immediately she tried to take a deep and regular breath The more hasty she breathed, the faster she would die.

She felt the pressure on her shoulder subside. An electric hum filled the air around her. And suddenly there was this voice. Not from outside, it seemed to be in her. It was a gentle voice, with quiet words. It seemed as if it wanted to reach someone. But the voice was low and the humming grew louder. And then the voice was gone completely.

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Only a split second later she felt the pressure again. Stronger this time, it seemed take the air to breath. She didn't felt her legs gaving way beneath her. She didn't notice the menacing hum of electricity. She didn't heard the screams, either her own or the other. She didn't noticed the shocked faces around her. And she didn't noticed the pained expression on Hank's face. Around her was only darkness. And a narrowness which slowly pushed more and more against her, overruning and eventually swallowing her.


End file.
